Ransom

Name: Ransom
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Released: November 8, 1996
Duration: 121 min
Rating: 60
Cast: Gary Sinise, Mel Gibson, Rene Russo

1996

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 229 Ratings

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2.3

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2.3	Your Score
2.3	User Score Generally unfavorable reviews based on 229 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: November 8, 1996 | R

Starring: Gary Sinise, Mel Gibson, Rene Russo

Summary: In this action-thriller, Mel Gibson stars as Tom Mullen, a wealthy executive whose charmed life is suddenly shattered when his young son is abducted and held for ransom by a gang of ruthless criminals. (BV Entertainment)

Director: Ron Howard

Genre(s): Action, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 121 min

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Awards & Rankings

59	#59 Best Movie of 1996
18	#18 Most Discussed Movie of 1996
43	#43 Most Shared Movie of 1996

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Elvis Mitchell

Mr. Howard has made Ransom in the same clean, swift, logical style that sent his "Apollo 13" into orbit, resulting in a spellbinding crime tale that delivers surprises right down to the wire. Read full review

Todd McCarthy

Although the story is built around the automatically emotional situation of an imperiled kid, scripters Richard Price (who appears briefly as an uncomfortably handcuffed victim of Sinise in the early going) and Alexander Ignon and director Ron Howard largely steer clear of milking the easy melodrama. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The movie would have benefitted from a tight rewrite (it is too ambitious in including plot threads it doesn't have time to deal with), but Gibson's strong central performance speeds it along. Read full review

Desson Thomson

There are more climaxes in here than in a Swedish blue movie. This is not to say you won't be thrilled, charged up and put through the ringer at times, but your intelligence will need to be shoved under your seat like warm, flat soda. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Ransom has some clever and exciting moments, but in scene after scene it teases you with gamesmanship only to pummel you with contrivance. Read full review

David Sterritt

Gary Sinise is chilling as the villain, and the screenplay by Richard Price and Alexander Ignon shows some interest in class hostility and other social issues, although this doesn't extend far enough to allow the women of the story a chance to shine in their male-dominated surroundings. Read full review

Steve Davis

A reprehensible movie from just about every perspective, Ransom tries to justify the behavior of its lead character as something grounded in principle, but make no mistake about it: This is the act of a man who can't bear the thought of losing, a man who will turn the tables on his enemy at the risk of a beloved's death. Read full review

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User Reviews

SimpsonFans

Jan 16, 2017

Mr. Howard has made Ransom in the same clean, swift, logical style that sent his "Apollo 13" into orbit, resulting in a spellbinding crime tale that delivers surprises right down to the wire.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Enderman

Jan 17, 2017

Mr. Howard has made Ransom in the same clean, swift, logical style that sent his "Apollo 13" into orbit, resulting in a spellbinding crime tale that delivers surprises right down to the wire.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Steven1981

Mar 22, 2020

Ransom is a 1996 crime thriller starring Mel Gibson, Delroy Lindo, Rene Russo and Gary Sinise...... Gibson plays Tom Mullen who's a millionaire and has a wife named Kate Mullen who's played by actress Rene Russo in the movie... Some weirdo named Jimmy Shaker (Gary Sinise) who's actually aRansom is a 1996 crime thriller starring Mel Gibson, Delroy Lindo, Rene Russo and Gary Sinise...... Gibson plays Tom Mullen who's a millionaire and has a wife named Kate Mullen who's played by actress Rene Russo in the movie... Some weirdo named Jimmy Shaker (Gary Sinise) who's actually a cop believe it or not kidnaps Tom Mullen's (Mel Gibson) son and holds him for ransom demanding money or something while Mel Gibson is still trying find out who the kidnappers are and where they are and where his son is. It's a race against time to find his son alive instead of dead and Tom Mullen (Gibson) must follow Shakers (Gary Sinise) demands and cooperate however Shaker is not alone as the kidnapper because others are working with him and hiding the boy... Ransom is full of riveting performances, suspense, tension, intrigue and fairly decent acting. Violence and bad language is ever present in Ransom too and fairly well made I guess most of it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

andy24king24

Jan 24, 2019

When I first went to see this it was an 18. Wow can’t believe it’s 1996 when this great thriller was made. Ok firstly it’s not a classic and it won’t be in many people’s top tens but the thing I like about this, it’s not your typical kidnap thriller. Ron Howard directs. Mel Gibson & ReneWhen I first went to see this it was an 18. Wow can’t believe it’s 1996 when this great thriller was made. Ok firstly it’s not a classic and it won’t be in many people’s top tens but the thing I like about this, it’s not your typical kidnap thriller. Ron Howard directs. Mel Gibson & Rene Russo star. Their boy Bradley Nolte (yes Nick Nolte’s son) gets kidnapped, the kidnappers want $2 million or the kid dies. Simple. But things don’t always go to plan as everyone knows. Just watch Man On Fire again a brilliant revenge thriller. But it’s the tension, the suspense, the twists and some very good performances from the cast. And Gary Sinise after his awesome performance in Apollo 13 turns in a very creepy but brilliant performance as the cop/baddie. I thinks it’s a brilliant thriller with a lot potential and yes some people won’t like it, that’s opinions and films for ya.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

bdjude

Feb 14, 2018

A good movie again went underrating ! This will keep you glued to the seat till it ends, guaranteed. The plot is pragmatic no flows either.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LoRevisor

Aug 13, 2016

WTF????? What is wrong with the stupid public gaving negative reviews...

A very solid Ron Howard movie about kidnapping, Mel Gibson is Perfect as ever here, Rene Russo is great, and the co. stars too, Some Iconic scenes of 1990's movies you find here!!!

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

FilipeNeto

Dec 29, 2019

A simple, predictable film and where the best are the good performances of Gibson and Sinise.

This movie is quite simple: A group of criminals kidnap the young son of a businessman who is being prosecuted on a bribery charge demanding two million dollars in ransom. The entire movie isA simple, predictable film and where the best are the good performances of Gibson and Sinise.

This movie is quite simple: A group of criminals kidnap the young son of a businessman who is being prosecuted on a bribery charge demanding two million dollars in ransom. The entire movie is basically set in the family drama surrounding kidnapping and the father's attempts to get his son back safe and sound.

The movie works reasonably. It starts off very well, but the final part is pretty bad, predictable and unrealistic. It all rests on the backs of Mel Gibson and Gary Sinise, two very capable actors who were very effective in their respective roles, managing to give a certain dramatic depth to a film that would have far less quality without them. In fact, the characters of the two actors are classic antagonists to each other, in that they are all that the other is not and are destined to face an epic and climactic final confrontation. The rest of the actors have less visible characters who provide the necessary support: Rene Russo is quite good, even when hysterical. Lillie Taylor is dark and looks a bit sadistic, while Liev Schreiber and Donnie Wahlberg have poorly made characters who look totally amateur in the criminal world. Delroy Lindo, meanwhile, did what he could, but his character also seems totally lost and unsure what to do in most of the movie.

Ron Howard did a good job of driving, but he could have done better and noticed some problems he didn't. Personally, I think the movie has some rhythm problems: not only does the abduction happen too early, preventing us from establishing a bond of empathy with the kidnapped child, but the role of Sinise's character in the young man's disappearance could have been revealed closer to her. end of the movie. The choices made here took strength and impact out of the entire movie, as we already knew everything that was going to happen.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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